XBox 360?

[I'm Murrin]

British sources have confirmed that the next generation Xbox is indeed called Xbox 360, that the logo is a simple, round nexus, and that the console itself has a concave design - and a platinum white finish.

Many rumours - some of them conflicting - have been circulating in the past months regarding Microsoft's next generation system, but speaking under conditions of strict anonymity, a British source who is privy to Microsoft's marketing documents for the console has now cleared up much of the speculation.

The name of Xbox's successor is Xbox 360, we can confirm, and the design of the machine is indeed a concave shape.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

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It appears that the console itself will make it's first appearance on MTV on the 12th May in the US (13th worldwide). Microsoft will also be unveiling the console in a conference before E3. Sony will be unveiling theirs earlier on the same day, and Nintendo the morning after that.

[edit]I think we can safely un-sticky at this point [/edit]

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

I am so freakin excited. Used ps2 prices will PLUMMET!

[Worm of Despite]

A platinum white finish? That sounds awesome. I really hope it will be backwards compatible and have a harddrive, like last one, BUT I've heard rumor of it not having one. I hope that's not true.

With the 1200$ I have now and the job I get this summer, I'm going to have plenty of options, as far as video games go. I'm thinking, though: if Xbox 360 is the first console out, then it's going to end up being the least powerful. Xbox had a lot going for it, hardware-wise. The killer apps were great, yeah, but it just doesn't have the library PS2 has. It needs more going for it, and the fact that it won't be the next generation's most powerful console is not gonna help.

[Nav]

Well the PS2 has had an extraordinary lifespan and it has been less powerful than every one of its rivals. Microsoft has done a lot of catching up since the release of the X-Box, but they haven't quite been able to overturn the advantage Sony gained simply by being first on the scene (combined with Sony's characteristically formidable marketing machine). Hardware is by no means everything in the console wars.

[Worm of Despite]

Hardware is by no means everything in the console wars.

Of course, but it still helps. Xbox will lose an audience of gamers because of being the first next-generation console out. I don't know what Xbox's core demographic is, but I do know that a lot of people buy a system based solely on how powerful the hardware is, and Xbox 360 will most likely be the least powerful.

Don't get me wrong: I value gameplay over graphics any day, but graphics will always be a strong attraction.

Perhaps the differences in power will be negligible. Personally, I'd like to see the Xbox succeed. It's a great, action-oriented system (with drops of RPG genius like Bioware's KOTOR).

[CovenantJr]

I do know that a lot of people buy a system based solely on how powerful the hardware is, and Xbox 360 will most likely be the least powerful.

Having the biggest number attached to its processing power didn't help the N64...

[I'm Murrin]

Yeah, but that's because it used cartridges, and charged a fortune for them too.

[Worm of Despite]

I do know that a lot of people buy a system based solely on how powerful the hardware is, and Xbox 360 will most likely be the least powerful.

Having the biggest number attached to its processing power didn't help the N64...

Irregardless, Xbox will lose an audience of gamers who only want the most powerful console on the market. I am unsure as to whether or not that loss is negligible.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

I think that's part of what drew people to the Xbox... either way, are there any serious rumours, etc... out there?

[Nav]

Yeah, but that's because it used cartridges, and charged a fortune for them too.

They did charge an awful lot for the big titles (as much as £50 IIRC), but a big part of their decision to go with the cartridge format was to eliminate the potential for copying that the saw in the Plastation's CDs. Ironically the ability to buy copied games helped rather than hindered Sony, as it attracted people to the platform. Combined with the Playstation's head start and Sony's superior marketing, this resulted in a crushing defeat for Nintendo.

Illegal copying is obviously something that still concerned Nintendo, witness the dinky little discs that the Gamecube takes, but they have now stated that their next gen console will use full size discs and therefore accomodate larger games. This has been taken as a statement of intent, that they will be tackling Sony and Microsoft head on this time around rather than being quirky and offbeat like they were with the GC.

[Worm of Despite]

Too little too late, perhaps?

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

No sir. The fanbase of Nintendo could be totally revived, I think, if they made a decent gaming machine that appealled to the average gamer. Really, if it started taking off, I think there would be a lot of people who might think the system was actually buyable..

[The Pumpkin King]

No sir. The fanbase of Nintendo could be totally revived, I think, if they made a decent gaming machine that appealled to the average gamer. Really, if it started taking off, I think there would be a lot of people who might think the system was actually buyable..

I'm not entirely sure that's true.

The Dreamcast was an amazing system many people, including myself, hold in incredibly high regard, but look at Sega now.

Sometimes reputation precedes product.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Gah! You're right about that at least, that puts a big hole in my confidence... the Dreamcast was SO GOOD. Sonic Adventure 2?! Oh man.... Powerstone 2.... sigh...

[Worm of Despite]

Don't forget the Dreamcast's best game (arguably), Soul Calibur. Shenmue was up there, too. Resident Evil: Code Veronica was awesome on Dreamcast, too.

[The Pumpkin King]

You forget Bangai-O! And Grandia II! And Skies of Arcadia!


Yeah, the DC was awesome. *warm, fuzzy feelings of it*

[Worm of Despite]

Ah, at least Sega went out raging--and what a last hurrah! I'm sure we'll see some kicking and screaming on Nintendo's part, when at last the final nail comes down. If it ever does (hoping it doesn't).

[Nathan]

Microsoft has done a lot of catching up since the release of the X-Box, but they haven't quite been able to overturn the advantage Sony gained simply by being first on the scene

I'm not sure that's true. If you look at sales figures:

Japanese hardware sales for April 4 - April 10 2005:

Platform - Weekly sales (Total 2005 sales)

PS2: 37,870 (Total 2005: 724,701)
NDS: 30,028 (Total 2005: 557,421) (Nintendo Dual Screen
PSP: 28,848 (Total 2005: 695,922) (Playstation Portable)
GBA SP: 13,693 (Total 2005: 244,163)
GCN: 3,406 (Total 2005: 81,744)
GBA: 347 (Total 2005: 8,327)
XBX: 315 (Total 2005: 5,662)

As you can see, Xbox sales are still very poor compared to PS2 sales, and even gamecube sales (Obviously this is exaggerated in Japan, where the gamers prefer RPGs and other such things you won't find much of on the Xbox, but you get the picture)

And total sales of all consoles worldwide by the end of 2004:

North America
PlayStation 2 - 32.86 million
Xbox - 13.2 million
GameCube - 10.11 million

Japan / Asia
PlayStation 2 - 19.47 million
Xbox - 1.7 million
GameCube - 3.78 million

Europe / PAL
PlayStation 2 - 29.06 million
Xbox - 5.0 million
GameCube - 4.13 million

Worldwide
PlayStation 2 - 81.39 million
Xbox - 19.9 million
GameCube - 18.03 million

All Three Consoles
North America - 56.17 million (47.08%)
Japan / Asia - 24.95 million (20.91%)
Europe / PAL - 38.19 million (32.01%)
Worldwide - 119.32 million

The only place the xbox made any real impact was the USA (porbably because of American willingness to buy a product produced by an American country just because it's American) and even there it only sold about a third as well as the PS2.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

The fact is that there are so many great ps2 games. I could get a ps2 now and be playing games that I enjoy for the next 10 years.

[I'm Murrin]

A picture of the new X-Box has been leaked onto the net:
pictures.xbox-scene.com/4/xbox360/xbox3 ... z5ow_b.jpg